If you are thinking about starting your own business, you might like to be aware that half of all entrepreneurs have a variety of mental health concerns. Every other entrepreneur suffers from one or more mental illnesses such as ADD, ADHD, addiction, anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression, hypomania, impostor syndrome, narcissism, or sudden wealth syndrome, just to name a few, and a third of all entrepreneurs suffer from two or more mental disorders.
Knowing this tendency exists for one out of every two business owners who are taking charge and launching their own careers, enables you to keep an eye out for symptoms of mental illness that might be creeping up on you.
The savviest entrepreneurs have a coach, counselor, or therapist onboard to help keep abreast of any mental health challenges they may be facing. It is always good to have another set of eyes and ears nearby when you are exercising your entrepreneurial skills.
While you are keeping an eye on potential mental illness note that such challenges often are the breeding ground for unique, unparalleled breakthroughs. When a creative person is in the midst of a episodic mental state, often ideas come from places beyond our imagination, resulting in new scientific breakthroughs, creative artistic expression, and otherwise evasive business solutions.
The stigma associated with mental illness is often discarded on the behalf of entrepreneurs for it is recognized as necessary inconvenience with enormous benefit for the organization overall and can easily be regarded as the eccentricity of genius.
Business owners are revered as leaders of their organization and are expected to be resilient and strong, so they answer the call, and in effect operate under the premise or “fake it until you make it,” present a brave face under challenging circumstances so as to not cause fear within the troops.
Still, there is a dark side to mental health disorders that can be problematic, negatively affecting all areas of life, and entrepreneurs are twice as likely to be hospitalized for a psychiatric condition, or just as likely to have suicidal ideation. This is why maintaining a healthy balance in life and work is so important.
This requires a holistic approach to business and personal affairs, as well as preserving a sense of contribution, not just for the business, but for the community, and the greater community at large, which may include a spiritual component, if you are so inclined.
The days of sacrificing everything including family, friends, and self for the sake of the potential success of the business or organization and wearing your brave face regardless of the circumstances are fading into he past, as we realize that our entrepreneurial heroes are human beings, all with their own individual set of unique mental capabilities. Honoring their humanity and allowing them to be less-than-perfect is growing in popularity.
After all, we are all just doing the best we can with what we have, and everyone is entitled to his or her individual humanity. As we grow to accept this concept of our organizational leaders, this helps to build a confidence within us, that being a leader is not that much of a stretch, expanding our own possibilities.
The proper care of an entrepreneur would include a healthy diet, exercise, recreational (non-business-related) activities, and maintaining relationships with individuals outside the workplace.